Portable grease gun



Jan? 9 1945- H. N. DURHAM ETAL Y yPORTABLE GREASE GUN Filer; Jan. 9,1942 WNVENTR MQ ofthe invention...`

Patented Jan. 9, 1945 accuses e PORTABLE GRASE" GUN;

` ,o Hobart' N. Durham, Munsey Paris Carter, Yonkers,` Ni Y.

norman-MQ This. invention .relatesl to improvements lindevices fordispensing materialslofa. liquid. or.` semiliquid natureunderpressure,morey particularly, devices of l, the nature" aforesaidparticularly adapted for lubricating vehicles',.machinery, etc;l`

atl the: bearings to' be `lubriprovided with. ttings `Objects andadvantages of the; invention will be set.- forth` in part` hereinafterand. in parti will be: obvious herefrom, or'may` be learned by prac.-tice with"` the invention. the` same. being. realized andattained bymeans of the instrumentalities and:` combinations. pointedibut in. the.`appended claims; i H 1 l `The invention consists; in the novel parts;con..-`

structions. arrangements, combinations and impnovements herein shown,and` described..`

the pump. "Aprime-movenmounted. on `thevemechanism. embodying. an.automatic coupling device.; coupling` device:` `functions`automatically: to:` couple f and` uncouple the prime- `movergarid thepump Vini response to.' speed! hiclelV drives` the pumpV through.suitable dzri've changes inthe prime-mover` occasioned by pressure*changes ins the: pumping system. HA. speed l chan-ge oil thegprime-moveris; automatically effected. by; means `of" speed' control. mechanismire`Vsponsivewto,` selected pressure.; changes-'in `the f pump chamber towhich it is connected. The

The accompanying; drawing, referred to `herein and constituting ma parthereof, illlistiatesI one embodiment of the invention, andy togetherwith the description, serves Objects ot. the present invention;` ansi:`toiprovide an improved dispensing` devicefparticularly applicable to anduseful. for the lubrication oli vehicles, machinery, etc. and offeringcentailradvantages` inL 1 diversiflcatiorr of. utility; tot provideadispensing device.: ai. power driven dispensing pump: Whichwill beautomatically; disconnected. frozn itsprime-mover andi immobilized` whenthe; back pressure on` the pump 4exceeds :ai predetermined; value andwill. bei automatically to. explain the principles speed. con-trolmechanism is' sordesigned.V thatl a'L predetermined. increase in.l the:pressure. withthe pump .chamber` over the normal. pumping pressured aswould` be occasioned, for. exl ample, by` closing the` val-ve in` thedelivery nozy zle.. Willactuate` the speedycontiiol mechanism. so

as `to rzlecelera'teY the.A primefmover. toalower speed1 value. Thislspeed changejjcauses `the coupling device automatically to! discontinuethe transfer ot` powergfromf` the prime-mover tof the pump, l l. which'.isi therebyI immobilized. soas: to prevent4 a `furtherna-nda` possiblyhamiful-,fpressure increase- When the pressure acting,` upon. the speedcon.-

. trol'.` mechanism is; lowered; as would result, `for example, from.opening the,` delivery nozzle valve.

" mespeeficentioimecnanism is restored t0- its reconnected toitsprime-mover' and` .mobilized l whenlthe back pressure; on' the pump!is lessthan a. predetermined value; to'.v provide iadispensing1 device`embodying a prime-mover whichilwill be.L

Vcontrolled bythe pumpingl demand; `toaprovide a` dispensing` deviceYenribodyinigf.- a primemover` upon thesensitivity of the speedcontrolmechaand a. pair of pumping units severallyyon jointly- `operable bythe-.prime-mover and,v to; provide ai dispensing device. embodyingautomatic safe-4 guards yagainst overloads on the pumping;system.

To: this end,l as. at presentkpreferably emboda ied, andAas-,appliedptol a portable lubricant vdispensingfdevice, a ,powerdriven: pump for deli-v-` .ering` lubricant under pressure"`Athrough,ayivalve oniginaljoperatins condition and therebyAacceleratestzhe prime--mover to its original. speedvalue. latterspeedchange causes the cou-j pling device automatically` to resimiethetransfer;A of. power `from the: priure-mover` toi thef pump which isagain. mobilized",1 The extent of: the speed changze. oir theprime-mover is; dependent nism,`. but. the prime-moverconti-nues tooperate,`

`at `anneduced on idling speed,. even though. the

pumpis-immobilizecl.A The' power available may be.. used thereforeioroperating-.an air compressm ing unit which. is mounted. the vehicle and'islconnectable at to, the prime-mover `suyas i be. duiven?therebyvregardless of whether `the i controlleddeliverynozz1eismountedon a; small mobilevehicle which.` may be: `easily`manuallywheeled from one. placelof usage); to another.. The inductionside ofther:pumpa communicates tvitha` storage, vessel carriediby*ther'vehicle `Lubncant is suppliedwfrom this vessel to@ `ther pump;chamber from` vizhiclrlatter.` thelubricant i'sdes livered underpressureuto `they delivery` nczzle` which communicates1.l witlr. thefeduction:J side; :ofi`

dispensing pump `is mobilized or. immobilized.

` Intbe preferred embodiment othe invention l;

the* prima.V mover' comprises a` relatively small `gasoline engine; andthis-.is connected `to' the 1 purnp-` by means `of anV "optionally:eiectiveconf` i n'ection.` wherebyf the `engine may be` warmed: up;y

withoutgbeifng,V under load, and;` also permitting air.` *to-libe"compressedV by the: `engine at fullf speed withoutoperation ofthe pump.Ifhese "connecting` means also;` `preferably permit the` pumpto b econnected tothev engine. without stoppagefonatheengine.. 1- 3 -eraldescription, and the following detailed description as well, areexemplary and explanatory, but are not restrictive of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawing, a prime-mover 'I is shownsupported on a platform 2 in spaced relation to a small portable truckl3 having the front and rear wheel structures 4 and 5 respectively.

The platform 2 to which the prime-mover I is secured by bolts 6, restsupon structural members 1 which are secured to the platform by bolts 8and to the truck 3 by bolts 9;

1 The prime-mover I, as embodied, is preferably a self-contained powerunit although the use of power units to which energy is supplied from aremote source is within thecontemplation of this invention. As hereembodied, the primemover I is shown as a single cylinder gasoline enginehaving the starting crank I9, carburetor I'I and fuel tank I2, Speedcontrol of the engine is attained byv means of a' throttle valve I3connected by link mechanism I4 to speed control mechanism I5. x

The engine crankshaft terminates in a pulley I6 affixed thereto andadapted tobe engaged by and to drive the pulley I'I of an airkcompressor I3 which discharges 4into the storage tank I9 for holding airunder suitable pressure.

The air compressor I8 is mounted in trunnion bearings 2l) upon aplatform structure 2| carried by the truck 3. A cammed lever 22journalled in the platform structure 2| is provided for tilting thecompressor on the bearings 20 so as to place the pulley II in lpowertransmitting relation withthe pulleyIB, at will. Various otherexpedients for effecting power transfer at will from the'prime-mover Ito the .compressor I8 will be apparentto those skilled in the art. i .r

The output of the engine I is deliverable through a drive mechanismembodying an automatic coupling device, to a pump by which the materialtobe dispensed is deliverable und-er pressure through a valve controlleddelivery nozzle. l.As here embodied, an automatic clutch 25 on theengine pulley is connected by a V-belt 23 to a pulley 29 which isaffixed to a worm gear The automatic clutch or coupling device 25, asembodied, effects a power transfer from the engine I to the worm gear ofthe pumping mechanism; to be described hereinafter, upon a speeding upof the-engine I. It effects a termination of this power transfer upon aslowing down of this engine. As here embodied, the clutch 25 comprises adriving element 26 fixed to the en'- gine crankshaft, and a drivenelement 2'I-journalled on the engine crankshaft. r The clutch ispreferably of a speed-controlled centrifugal, for

example, such as the clutch typedisclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,258,157granted October 7, 1941, to E. F. Kohl.` In accordance with theteachings of that patent, the driving and'driven elements 26 and 21respectively, are adapted to be automatically locked to or released fromeach other :as the case may be by means of locking members (not shown),when the engine speed attains or recedes from a selected value,consequent upon a change in the setting of the throttle valve I3.

'Ihe worm gear 39 is journalled at either end onbroad and ample bearingsin a gear housing 3| carried by the truck 3.

The gear housing 3| encloses a camgear 32 A and a cam follower 33. Thecam gear 32 isjournalled in the housing ,3I by means of a shaft 34 so asto be driven by the worm gear 30 and has' one face provided with aneccentric 35 which `engages the follower 33. i f

The dispensing pump 39, as here embodied, has

its induction side in communication with a storage vessel 40 mounted onone end of the truck 3. The eduction side is connected by a deliverypipe 4I to a valve-controlled rdelivery nozzle 42. The nozzle 42, ashere embodied, is a high pressure so-called grease-gun having a manuallyoperable valve control lever 43. The eduction side of the pump is alsoconnected by av pipe 44 to the pressure operated speed controlmecl'ianism I5, so that whatever pressure is built up in the pumpingsystem is imparted to the speed control mechanism.

The speed control mechanism I5, as embodied, functions to move thethrottle valve AI3 toward' f a closed position thereby to deceleratetheengine I to a lower speed value, when the p'ressure built up by thepump 35i-exceeds a selected-value; Such a condition would resultfromreleasing the valve control lever 43 -when the pump is operating. Inconsequence of this deceleration, the

clutch 25 automatically uncouples the engine" from the pump drivemechanism and the `pump 39 ceases to function. The attained `pressure ismaintained by the usual check-valve mechanism of the pump 39 until thevalve control lever 43 is depressed so as to permitlubricant to flowunder the attained pressure from the deliverynozzle 42. The resultantpressure drop is communicated 4through the pipe 44 to the speed controlmechanism I5 which together -with the' throttle valve I3 is inconsequence automatically restored to-its initial condition. y Theresultant acceleration of the engine I to the original speed value pfluid pressure is imparted to the'piston 45.. A

coil spring 45a is positioned around the' piston 4-5 between the casing41 and yoke arm 448 The arm 48 extends from the piston 45 to the opposite sides of a shaft 49 which is slidably and Vro-y tatably mounted inthe casing 41 for reciprocable movement parallel to the piston 45.hr Theshaft 49 is internally threaded at one vend and engages one end of amember 50 which kin turn is pin-"connected" to the link` mechanism I4.Thus, manual rotation of the shaft 49jwill effect a change iin-thesetting Vof 'throttle valve o asesinas:

. rs-.u The shaft 49; is pmvidedivwitn a shoulder Sil? which .normallyabuts the casing' 4-IHthereby to'fx the throttle open` posititm:` A.second" t shoulder 52 is adapted `tombel engagedy by the arm after thelatterhas been moved a short dis' tance as the piston travels. A-certain amount of pressure thus may be* built `up before theA lostnmotion istaken upand shaft 459 moves throttle valvel I'3 n againstth'e`resistance offered-bythe return-spring 53. `The spring 53"` i'ssecuredat` one endfto the link mechanism I4" and at the other endto-.the engineand `tends to nonV i throttle valve`.l`3` open. ThusI i'twi'lfl beapparo ent that! asthe fluid` pressureI applied? to the `piston I5jincreases',` consequent, for example, upon release of control lever`43while the pump 39 isjrunning, the piston 45 moves to the left againsttheresistance of thespring 45a; The arm 48 engagesthe shoulder 52andupon further pressure increase moves thesha'ft 49' to the` left. Thismovement is conveyedthrough the link mechanism I4` tothe throttle valveI3 which is i moved against the resistance of spring 53 toward an idlingposition.` The reduction in speed causes n n `25 engine I from the pumpdrive mechanism and `While thus the speed responsive clutch 25 touncouple the thereby immobilize the `pump 39. idling, or while at itshigh speed, the engine I may, if desired, be coupled manually by `meansof the cam lever 22 tothe pulley I'I of the air compressor 8, if it isdesired to operate this auxiliary unit. When the valve control lever 43is line engine I, so that it may` develop its full power in relativelyshorttime, means are `provided for optionally` disconnecting the piston38 from the follower shaft 33'. As embodied,` these means the` scope ofthe appended? claims and' this inventionis not to be limited to the:specificatie@ tails shown and described.,

Having `thus described the invention,.whatis` claimed is: o t M li. 'Aliquid dispensing devicekincluding in com-4l bination a prime-mover; aliquid pump; means` for automatically `coupling and unuplingisaidprime-mover and said* pump intresponse tol a speed change of said?primeemover; i andpmeans foreifecting a change in thespeed of Isaid`prime-A mover int'responsel to a change in thefpumping o pressure. l

2'. `A liquid dispensing device including income- `lci'nation aprime-mover; a liquid pump;` means: i

for automaticallyL coupling and uncoupiing. said prime-mover andsaid'pump in` responsetc a. speed `change of4 said `prime-mover; and,pressurerespcnsive means`` for effecting` a changein l the speed oflsaid prime-mover in response to a change in the pumping pressure;` i i ispeed change of said prime-mover.

3. A liquiddispensing device including in combinationa prime-mover; aliquid'pump.; a-valve controlled delivery nozzle communicating with theeduction side of said pump; pressure-responsive means f'or controllingthe speed of said prime-mover communicating withythe eduction sideofsaid pump; and, centrifugal clutch means for automatically coupling`and uncoupling said prime-mover and said pump `in response to a 4. Aliquid vdispensing device includingin combination a prime-mover; aliquid pump; pressure-responsive means for controlling the speed of saidprime-mover, said means having a `pressure chamber communicating withthe eduction side of said pump; and, centrifugal clutch means forautomatically coupling and uncoupling said prime-moverand said pump inresponse to a o `change in the speed of said prime-mover.

` 5`. A liquid dispensing device including in combination a prime-mover;a liquid pump; iluid comprise the pivoted latchngers 60 which aremounted in the member 6I pinned tothe end of rodk 38 and are normallyheld in engagement with the groove 62 inthe end of shaft 33 bycompression of the spring 63 whereby the pump is driven by the engine.Amanually movable collar B5is provided having an internallybevelledmouth to t over the divergent ends B6 of ngers 6l) to hold the fingers60 out of groove l I 62, thereby disconnecting the pump from the encgine and allowing the engine to runat any speed, idly or in drivingrelation lwith the air compressor. When the engine has warmed, collar B5may be moved to latching position by knob i 61 operating in a slot inthe `frame member 68,

and on the next approach of the shaft end 33' to the plunger38, thefingers 50 will engage in groove` 62 to cause pumping of grease to berei` sumed, again placing the engine under control of the pressureresponsive unit I5.

Certain features and sube-combinations `oi? this invention are ofutilityand` may be employed without reference to other features andsub-com binations thereof and various changes may be made in detailswithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of this invention. This is contemplated by and withinpressure-responsive l means `for `decreasing the speed of saidprime-mover when the operating fluid pressure exceeds` aselected valueand for` increasing the speedof the prime-mover when the operatingfluidpressure is less than a selected value, said` means being suppliedby said pump with uid at the pressure of the eductonside of said pump;and, clutch means for automatically uncoupling said prime-mover and saidpump when the speed of said prime-mover is lowered to a `selected valueand for automatically coupling said prime-mover and said pump when thespeed of said prime-mover is raised to a selected value.

6. A liquid dispensing device including in como `bination a prime-mover;a liquid pump; means `for supplying huid to said pump; means fordispensing fluid under pressure from said pump; means for automaticallydecreasing the `speedof said prime-mover when the `fluidpressurelexceeds aselected value and for automatically increasing thespeed ofsaid` prime-mover when the fluid pressure becomes less than aselected i. value; and, clutch means for automatically un` coupling saidprime-mover and said pump when the speed of said prime-mover is loweredto a selected value and for automatically couplingsaid o i prime-moverand said pump when the speedof said prime-mover is raised to aselectedxvalue.

7. A liquid dispensingdevice including in combination a prime-moverj aliquid pump :adapted to bedriven by said prime-mover; means respon-`siveto the `fluid pressure `at the eduction side of said pump forcontrollingthe speed of said prime-mover, said means including apressure cylinder communicating with the eduction side of said pump, aspring-pressed piston in said cylinder and throttle means adjustablyconnected to said piston; and, a clutch for automatically coupling anduncoupling said pump and said prime-mover in response to a speed changeof said prime-mover.

8. A liquid dispensing device including in combination a wheeledvehicle; a prime-mover and a liquid dispensing pump carried by saidvehicle; a clutch for automatically coupling and uncoupling saidprime-mover and said pump in response to a speed change of saidprime-mover; and,l means for automatically effecting a change in thespeed of said rprime-mover in response to a change in the pumpingpressure.

9. A liquid dispensing device including in combination a prime-mover; apump for moving incompressible fluid material at an elevated pressurefrom a supply source to a desired locus;

iiuidpressure-responsive means subject to the pressure exerted by saidfluid material for effecting a deceleration of the speed of said.prime-4 mover when said pressure exceeds a selected value and foreifecting an acceleration of the speed of said prime-mover when saidpressure is less than a selected value; and, a clutch operable when thespeed of said prime-moverreaches a selected value to couple saidprime-mover to said pump and operable when the speed of said prime-moverfalls below said value to uncouple said prime-mover from said pump.

10. A liquid dispensing device including in combination a prime mover; aliquid pump; means for automatically coupling and uncoupling said primemover and said pump in response to speed changes of said prime mover;and means for optionally disconnecting the pump from thev prime moverindependently of said automatic coupling means; and means for eiect` inga change in the speed of said prime mover in response to a change in thepumping pressure developed by the pump.

, PHILIP M. CARTER. z n

HOBART N. DURHAM.

